Channel S Founder Mahee Ferdhaus receives Asian Curry Award for his outstanding contribution in charity work
By Abdul Karim Goni:
Channel S Founder Mahee Ferdhaus Jalil has received a special award for his outstanding contribution in charity work. He received this special award for serving humanity through media and personal effort. Paul Scally MP and Asian Catering Federation Eayor Khan handed over this award to him. Prior to this, popular BBC Journalist Kate Silverstone announced his name and mentioned the extraordinary successes of Mahee Ferdhaus in charity work.
A video feature film based on the works of Mahee Ferdous was screened at Grovner House in Park Lane at Central London in a colourful event. It is worth mentioning that Mahee Ferdhaus Jalil created a revolution in British Bangladeshi television media. He introduced the free-view channel to the community in 2004 with his own effort. As a result, people from the community had the chance to watch the channel for free. Before that people had to pay a monthly subscription to watch community TV. People often didn’t get their refund once the channels ceased their activities in that time as well. By introducing Live Charity Appeal, Mahee Ferdhaus created another revolution in community TV. This has created a tendency of giving alms to the people who are in need.
Mahi Ferdous also established an exceptional example by talking in common people’s style in tv channels. The weekly live show Reality with Mahi is always filled with community hot topics and issues, humanity and dire realities of the society. Mahee Ferdhaus Jalil himself has become a hot topic for his frank talks in live reality TV. Even in the hard times during the CoronaVirus, people absolutely enjoyed his live programme ‘Covid 19’.
Mahee Ferdhaus Jalil advised the Charities in the UK and in other countries who then raised nearly 65 million pounds in the last sixteen years working in collaboration with Channel S. People who were victims of wars and natural disasters benefited hugely from this. By collaborating with Channel S, numbers of educational, health and social projects have achieved their successes massively by collaborating with channel S. During the Covid 19 pandemic, Mahee Ferdhaus Jalil led two projects named Love For NHS and Feed Twenty Thousand. It raised 115 thousand pounds from the community for the NHS. Through the Feed Project, more than 100 thousand people in Bangladesh received food. Mahee also led another humanitarian project ‘Save Tafida’ in 2018. He also took part in a presentation at that event. When the NHS refused to treat child Tafida, Mahee raised 160 thousand pounds through channel S.
As well as media, Mahee is involved with accident management, construction and property business. His children have also achieved huge success in education. His elder daughter Naznin Ferdhaus has just completed her medicine 3rd year in famous Kings College. She has also completed her graduation in Politics, Philosophy and Economics (PPI) from University College of London (UCL) with distinction. Mahee’s parents are now currently living in Westminster who came to the UK in the 60’s. They are originally from Moulovibazar district in Bangladesh.
Other than Bangladeshi, some other successful Asian restaurateurs including Indian, Chinese, Malaysian and Pakistani also received the Asian Curry Award. Among other guests, London Minister, President of Confederation of British Industry (CBI) Lord Bilomia, Members of UK parliament, Mayors and some former English football managers were present at the award.
In his speech, Mahee mentioned that, “I never thought of awards. I work for the community and humanity from my own instinct. Channel S also started its journey in order to prioritise the community. I did not plan to benefit financially from this channel. It is a matter of great joy that Channel S has been able to contribute to the human cause through Channel S. However influential we may be, we won’t be here forever. Only our good deeds will live as our legacy. The next generation will also be inspired by these good works of ours.’